[Please note: Hardy's own
italicisations are inconsistent and in some cases
idiosyncratic ("Turberville"), but they
have been retained here. Italicisations of book titles
omitted by Hardy have been added by MAPS Director. See
also our GENERAL CAUTION about e-texts]

Hôtel de la Poste,
| 28 Fossé Aux Loups | Brussels. | Sept. 28.1896

Dear Sir: Owing to my absence from
England your letter has only now reached me. I will with pleasure
give you any information that you require as to the real names of
places described in my Wessex novels. Such information in the
Handbook will perhaps relieve me of the many letters I receive on
the subject, & perhaps serve to correct the erroneous
identifications of places by journalists & others. I shall be
in England again ( Max Gate, Dorchester) some time in October,
& will then answer any questions.

Yours faithfully

Thomas Hardy.

On second thoughts I send a few
rudimentary notes, that you may not be put to unnecessary trouble
before my return. T.H.

"Casterbridge" scene of
"Mayor of C.", and of chapters in nearly
all novels. "Durnover moor" and
"fields" are the Fordington moor & fields
round D. Wolverton House, near Dorchester is the scene of
the traditional story of "The Lady Penelope" in
"a Group of Noble Dames".

Weymouth.

"Budmouth Regis" = scene
of "Trumpet Major" & portions of
other novels; "Overcombe" being the village of Sutton
Poyntz (near W.)

Bincombe Down (near W.) is
the scene of the military execution in "A Melancholy
Hussar" a true story, the names of the deserters
from the German Legion, shot in 1801, being still to be
read in the register of the parish. They were shot where
the roads cross.

Puddletown

is "Weatherbury" = the
scene of "Far from the Madding Crowd",
"Greenhill Fair" being "Woodbury Hill
Fair", a noted annual gathering, a few miles off,
near Bere Regis.

Piddlehinton,
& P.trenthide.

The "Longpuddle" of
"A Few Crusted Characters"

Bournemouth

The "Sandbourne" of
"Hand of Ethelberta," "Tess of
the D'Urbervilles," etc.

Swanage.

The "Knollsea" of "H.
of Ethelberta"

Corfe Castle

The "Corvsgate-Castle" of
ditto (new edn)

{

Puddletown HeathMoreton HeathTincleton HeathBere-Heath 
etc. etc.

are "Egdon Heath" 
The heaths reaching, under the above, & other names,
from near Dorchester, to Bournemouth: (Scene of "Return
of the Native", etc.)

Bridport

"Port Bredy" in "Mayor
of C." & "Fellow Townsmen" (Wessex
Tales)

Weyhill, Hants

The "Weydon Priors" of
"Mayor of C."

Minterne

Little Hintock" is a hamlet
near (in "The Woodlanders")

Sherborne

The "Sherton-Abbas" of
"The Woodlanders", "Tess",
& other stories. "Lady Baxby" in "A
Group of Noble Dames" a traditional tale, mostly
fact, has Sherborne Castle for its scene.

Salisbury.

Melchester  scene of "On
the Western Circuit" in "Life's Little
Ironies"; & of incidents in several other
novels: e.g. the marriage of Sue in "Jude the
Obscure".

Stonehenge

Scene of Tess's midnight rest when
flying from "Sandbourne" & of her
apprehension.

Lulworth Cove.& the village of Ower
Moigne.

} Dorset.

"Lulstead Cove" &
Nether Moynton"  scenes of the smuggling story
in "Wessex Tales," founded on facts still
traditional in the neighbourhood.